All students undertake a common course in English. The Year 9 curriculum extends students’ analytical, creative and critical thinking skills through the study of a diverse range of texts and perspectives. Students are encouraged to explore complex ideas about identity, relationships and society while refining their communication skills.

What will I learn?

Students analyse a range of texts including novels, non-fiction, film and media. As part of their text study, students explore The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon, examining the ways authors use language and structure to shape meaning and engage audiences. Students continue to develop sophisticated reading and writing skills through analytical, persuasive and imaginative tasks while building confidence in responding to increasingly challenging texts.

English develops students’ ability to:

• communicate effectively and thoughtfully in speaking and writing

• critically analyse how language and texts represent ideas, perspectives and values

• understand how authors and speakers use language to influence audiences

• express ideas with increasing accuracy, creativity and sophistication.

What will I do?

The study of English involves students reading, viewing, listening, writing, creating, researching and discussing a wide range of texts. Students develop their ability to interpret and evaluate texts, make connections between ideas and contexts, and create purposeful responses for a variety of audiences and purposes.

What will this look like?

4 Lessons per week for the year

Head of English: Wendy McKenzie and Alex Mawson